Shades of Blue and Pink xx
by Keza22
Summary: Risa needs a man who wont make her cry. Satoshi needs a girl that can make him smile. A series of [SatoshixRisa] drabbles short oneshots, little scenes to think about that now all join together.
1. A question worth asking

**Disclaimer: **_I do not own the D.N.Angel characters or their settings._

* * *

xx/** A question worth asking /**xx

"Excuse me, miss. You forgot your maths homework," Said a blue haired boy, walking over to Risa at the end of school. The first day of each new school year is always hard, but homework too?! It was hard for young 8th grader Risa Harada to stand!

She snatched her homework sheet off the boy angirly. "And who might you be?!" She then asked whilst stuffing it into her bag. But when she looked up, the boy was gone..._ He must be new to the school. A transfer student, prehaps... _Risa felt odd as she looked at where the boy had just been standing... there had a certain aura to him that she just couldn't ignore. Although she hadn't spoken to him for long, and had only caught a glimpse of his blue hair, she was determined to find out more about this mysterious boy. Particually his name.

Risa ran the way she thought he'd gone, eager to catch up with him. Who was this blue haired boy who had given Risa her homework and brought out her curiosity? Was he friendly? Was he intelligent? Was he handsome? All these questions were just waiting to be explored and somehow answered!

She passed several shops and houses, parks and fields... a few times she almost gave up hope entirely. But she kept thinking that she saw... just a flash of blue out the corner of her eye and something drove her to follow it until eventually, her heart had lead her deep into the forest... although she hated to admit it...

...she was lost.

And all because of one boy's unurly dark-ish blue hair...

So poor Risa just sat there without a mobile phone, waiting for somebody to pass who could give her directions. But nobody came. It began to get dark and the only signs of life were the birds flying back to their nests for the last time in the day, to feed their hungry young. Everything seemed so quiet after that... and sinister. The brunette girl was on the brink of tears by the time the first few stars were starting to appear...

"Help!!" She finally cried. "Someone help me! I'm lost and I-"

Suddenly, there was some movement in the bushes, and she screamed. But to her suprise, she saw blue hair. Lot's of unurly, short, dark-ish blue hair... she was quick to look down at the rest of him. He was a very tall boy with sad, mature, icy blue eyes which seemed to peer into her very soul... but they were sad in a beautiful way somehow. They were hidden behind a pair of glasses, so Risa found it rather hard to properly look into them...

"You... what's your name?! I've been following you all this time... just... to find out your name..."

He walked over to her and gently rested his hand on her shoulder. "It's Satoshi Hiwatari. And I heard you crying. You are lost."

"Yes, I know I am!!" She sniffed feeling both relieved and angry at the same time. Satoshi... a very common but beautiful name...

"Oh? Then I take it you don't need help."

"Yes!!! I do!"

"Then why are you taking such an angry tone with me?"

She paused and then sighed with realisation. "Yes... I could really use help right now, thankyou, Hiwatari-san..."

Satoshi helped her to her feet, then began to lead her out of the forest. He seemed very cold personality-wise... and Risa didn't like the fact that he was wearing glasses... but he was helping, and that was enough to please Risa. It was a little awkward walking alongside him, so he decided to walk behind her, but she shook his head at this and smiled at her new found classmate.

_"Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead, Do not walk if front of me, for I shall not follow. Walk **beside **me, and we shall walk on together," _She told him, unintentionally taking his hand. He looked uncomfortable and stubbornly shook her off. But somehow, her little speech had impressed him, though he would never admit it.

* * *

Once she knew where she was, the mysterious new transfer student said a very blunt 'goodbye' then began to walk off. But to her suprise, he stopped and turned around.

"Wait... what's _your _name, Miss?" He asked. Little did she know that he had been following her all night... purely to ask this question too.

* * *

**Authors note**

**Now you people know me. I don't like writing drabbles, I much prefer to write my other Satoshi x Risa full story. But it's a new something I'm willing to try. If y'all like it, just review and let me know - I'll be sure to continue xx**


	2. Homework problems

**/-Homework problems-/**

"Satoshi..."

"Not now."

Risa poked the icy eyed boy to fully get his attention. Looking annoyed by all of this poking, prodding and the girl just basically being a pain, Satoshi picked up his books as if he intended to move to another table. The library was always so silent... that's why Satoshi liked to spend his lunchtimes in there. He also liked to quickly finish his homework there, because he prefered not to do it at home. He didn't go to be pestered by some silly girl.

As for Risa, she hardly ever spent lunchtimes in the library - she had just decided she wanted a change. Plus it was raining outside, which was probably 99 percent of the reason.

"Hey, don't go! I need help with my maths!"

"Then find Daisuke."

Oh please, he's probably stuggling with this too. But not you Satoshi... you're so intelligent..." She sighed. "I wish I knew as much as you. If we could swop brains for the day then-"

"Don't even go there."

"So are you going to help?"

"No."

"Pleeeeease... if you do, then I'll promise to leave you alone..."

"Define 'leaving me alone'."

"Welllll..." She giggled and put her arms around him. "I'll get off you if you help."

He just carried on working which left her clueless. Her arms still gently rested around him, yet he didn't mind. This didn't seem like him... he would have hit a fangirl for doing this by now... in fact, for a moment he stopped working and rested his head on her arm with closed eyes, prehaps to think. Then he carried on.

"Satoshi... do you... _like _me hugging you like this?" She asked. He didn't look up from his work once, but he still managed to find a reply whilst doing it.

"No."

"Then why aren't you trying to push me off...?"

"Because I know you wont get off. It's pointless to try."

_He knows me only too well..._ Risa thought, smling. _How does he know me so well though, when we hardly ever speak with eachother? I don't know the first thing about him... but why do I want to get to know him...? _She looked at him with a curious expression. _Afterall, he is the only boy in the class I know nothing about..._ "Satoshi... I want... to find out more about you... is that okay?"

"What do you mean, Harada-san?"

"Like... ummm... what kind of girls you like..." She saw him give her an irratated glance so she quickly moved on. "And... your favourite kind of food..."

"Girls, food... I couldn't care less about either..." He said, scratching some more notes into his notebook then closing it. They were both silent for a moment, then Risa took her hands off him. He obiously wasn't going to tell her much more, and she wasn't going to force him. But just as she began to walk off, he looked at her and said; "Well, I like studious girls who can do their homework by well and themselves..."

* * *

...Suprisingly, by the end of the month, Risa had gotten perfect test results. And it all might have been thanks to that one thing Satoshi had let her know.


	3. Trusting a touch

**x-Trusting a touch-x**

"Wheee!! I can't believe we're actually on our way to America! The coasts here really are as awesome as they say it is!" Risa squealed, as she peered out of the airoplane over sandy, smooth beaches that stretched for miles... "I'm so glad that this years school trip was one abroad!! WHEEEE!"

"Harada-san. I'm trying to sleep..." Satoshi sighed, pushing her arm a little in an attempt to shut her up. "Do you mind?"

"No! Oh look at that!!!" Risa gasped, widening her eyes at the beautiful views out of the window.

"Harada-san. You're beginning to annoy me."

"Meh... why do we always get sat next to eachother on these trips?" Risa moaned. Then she turned to smirk at Satoshi. "Actually... I get travel sick... if you're not careful I might be sick on you..." He took a paper bag out of the netting in the back of the seats in front of them and handed it to her.

"If you're feeling ill, you better take this."

"Naaahhh... I'll be fine! Trust m-" He stuffed the bag into her hand, then closed his eyes to try to get some sleep. "Oh, thats just great. You're being so boring you know, Satoshi-san."

"I don't care," He grunted. "I'm tired."

"No, you're just a boring person alltogether!" Risa snapped. "Ugh! You're not even hawt!! I was hoping to at least get a _half_ decent looking guy to sit next to so that both the views out of the plane and in the plane were good but nooo... and last time we went on a trip like this, you fell on me while you were sleeping!"

"So? I wouldn't make a big fuss if you fell on me."

"You... wouldn't?" Said Risa, blinking.

"Nope," Satoshi yawned. "Why don't you try to get some sleep too?"

"Hmph. You're just saying that to keep me quiet, but I'm not falling for it."

"Suits yourself..." Satoshi replied, folding his arms and letting his limp blue fringe flop over his closed eyes. Within a few minutes, he was asleep.

"Hey, Risa!! Nows your chance!! Hug him while he's asleep!" giggled her friend Ristuko, who was sat in the seat behind Satoshi. Risa shook her head.

"Why the hell would I do something like that?!"

"Go on, Risa! I dare ya!"

"You girls are so immature!!" Risa sighed with a flick of her hair. As if she wasn't...

"Oh go ooon... doesn't he just look so adorable when he's sleeping like that? Eeeep!" squealed the girl sitting behind Risa. She turned to give Satoshi's anonymous fangirl a glare.

"We've been through this before! Dark is the only man good enough for me...!! I-" Risa was inturupted by Satoshi speaking in his sleep.

"No! Stop it!" He cried, accidently hitting Risa. She just growled and took it... after all, to be fair, he was asleep and he wouldn't have meant to hurt her. Even so, the fangirls behind him squealed some more.

"Ooooo... I wonder who he's dreaming about?" Ritsuko giggled. Risa forced a smile just to keep her friends happy. This gave her the chance to look at Satoshi a little closer while her friends were discussing this and their eyes weren't on her and her blue haired seat partner. His face was so pale... yet somehow... it was beautiful. So troubled though... a frown lay across his forehead, along with tight shut eyes. She often insulted Satoshi... but it was now that she wondered... with all those things that she didn't know about him behind those deep, secretive eyes...

...did she ever have the right to...?

Suddenly, she noticed that something wasn't right about him. At first, she just felt it. As soon as she had, she held onto his shoulders to shake him and hopefully wake him up, but the moment she touched him, she found that he was freezing.

"Risa-chan...? What are you doing?" Ritsuko asked, now a tone of concern in her voice.

"Ri-Ritsuko!! S-somethings not right about Hiwata-" She was stopped in her tracks by the feeling of his temperature dropping further. Her gentle hold on his shoulders turned into a grip and she suddenly found herself worrying. "Hiwatari-kun... w-wake up..." She stammered quietly. Nothing. Her heart began to beat unevenly as she waited for some response... a twitch... anything. "Hiwatari-kun, please...!" She said, shaking him a little more.

"What is wrong with you, Risa?! He's just trying to sleep! Leave him alone!" Ritsuko snapped. But when no reply from him came still, Risa felt her heart jump and she touched his hand in panic.

"SATOSHI!!!"

To her relief, Satoshi's blurry sea-blue eyes looked right back up into hers, the frown still present across his forehead after just waking up. "Harada-san... please. Would you mind giving me a bit of space...?"

It was only now that Risa realised how close she'd gotten to him. She really must have been worried. Without hesitation, she jumped off him, her warm hand leaving his. "Oh, umm- s-sorry. But I was shaking you... you weren't moving and I thought that...-"

"I'm a very heavy sleeper..." Satoshi told her. She quickly looked down at her feet and nodded. Well, this was awkward...

* * *

Risa let Satoshi sleep the rest of the way, or what was left of it. Very soon, they were in California, and were flooding out of the plane. Once they were all off and waiting for their luggage to be picked up, Risa wandered over to Satoshi.

"H-hey..." She stammered, with a very serious tone in her voice. She wanted to ask him something, but her pride wouldn't let her. It was hard, because she wanted to hate him... so badly. But she still couldn't help worrying... "A-are you okay?"

He looked back at her and turned to face her for the first time. "Yeah."

"Well... are you sure?" Risa asked, hesitantly. She noticed the confusion in his eyes and too a deep breath. "You were... tossing and turning in your sleep. And you shouted too... then you just went..." There was a pause whilst she shrugged. "As cold as death."

"Hm. Nightmares... thats all that happened. I was probably just having a bad dream..." He told her. Risa gave a him a nod and turned to walk off, but she felt a had on her shoulder, stopping her. The way he touched her shoulder... there wasn't a single word in the world that she could have used to explain it. A touch so sincere, yet so soft... "Harada-san. I do not belive I have convinced you. I'll be just fine... don't you worry."

And on that note, he walked off. She could have kept worrying. She could have let that feeling that something was wrong with her classmate eat away at her. But... she trusted him. Even though he was just another classmate who she hardly knew.

...Afterall, how could someone not trust the soft, re-assuring touch of an angel?


	4. Tell me more

**-x-Tell me more-x-**

"Since we have a few new members of our class this term, I would like us all to use this lesson as a bonding session..." The maths teacher told her class. Everyone cheered, but Risa noticed Satoshi on the desk next to her giving a deep sigh. He was obiously not happy about the change of plans.

"Pardon me, miss..." He yawned, pushing his maths workbook to the back of his desk. "But are you going to do this everytime we get a new addition to the class? We've got maths to do and I believe that this 'bonding' is less important."

The teacher just blinked at him. "W-well Hiwatari-san... I thought you'd all be happy that you don't have to do maths until tomorow. A good teacher gives her students a break once in a while-"

"We just had easter break..." Satoshi reminded her. "In fact, miss, this is the first day back..."

"Please, Hiwatari-san. I am the teacher, you will listen to me..." She defended. Then she turned to the rest of her 28-strong class of 8th graders. "Right! So I want you all to turn to the person next to you and shake their hands! Go on, don't be shy!"

Risa was next to Satoshi, so naturally, she offered him her hand. "Hiwatari-kun, I believe we've met..." She giggled, politely. He folding his arms and let out another sigh without returning the handshake.

"This is pathetic..." He mumbled, lying back in his chair. Risa just kept her hand held out to him, blinking.

"Now once you've all done that, I want you to introduce yourselves to your partner! Tell them a bit about yourself!" The teacher instructed.

"Shall I go first?" Risa asked Satoshi. But when no reply came, she just continued anyway. "My name is Risa Harada. I'm 14, and I love boys. Especially boys like Dark. My hobbies are... hmm... well, I trail him in my spare time. And it's not stalking it's just..." She could see that Satoshi wasn't liking this topic, so she moved on. "My favorite subject is probably English. My least favorite is maths. And I also hate maths homework. I live in a 6 bedroom mansion with 3 bathrooms-"

Satoshi widened his eyes a bit at this and raised his eyebrows although he looked as if he didn't believe her. "Is that so?"

"Yeah. My parents are hardly ever home so... we have a butler around to look after us. We also have 2 limos, they're useful. But I'd much rather have a normal car. A ford, prehaps... or a jaguar. Limos take up an awful lot of space..." There was still a look of dis-belief on Satoshi's face. "You don't... believe me? Well, prehaps you should come round sometime and I can show you..."

He shrugged and looked down at his feet. "Maybe..."

She smiled at her shy-looking partner. "So. Care to tell me a little more about yourself, Hiwatari-kun?"

"I'm Satoshi Hiwatari... yeeah... that's all I want to say."

"Pleeease... I told you alot about myself..."

"Fine. I'm 14 years old, born a Capricorn on a date towards the end of December. I'm not your typical 14 year old boy... I'm not that interested in girls-"

"Not _that _interested...?" Risa asked with a knowing smirk.

"Look, do you want to hear this or not?" Satoshi growled. "I live in an apartment, on my own-"

"Seriously?!" Risa asked in amazement. "I don't believe you."

"You don't...? Well, maybe you should visit me sometime. Then you'd see."

"I'd love to..." Risa said, with a polite bow. He stopped in his tracks and looked back at her. For a moment, just for a moment... their eyes met... maybe now that they knew eachother just a little better, there was room for some sort of friendship between these two, just maybe... Risa broke the stare by looking down at her desk. "B-but of course... I'd have to ask my parents and they don't like me visiting boys..."

"Okay. I don't approve of people coming to my place anyway... I think I prefer to be alone whenever I've got free time."

"Y-yeah. I'm only supposed to invite close friends back to my house so I guess... you'll just have to believe me about this one," Risa giggled, nervously. He nodded and kept an expressionless face. Yet something was different about his eyes...

Little did he know it, Satoshi had gained a valuable experience. The knowledge of building a friendship.

**x-x-x**


	5. Confessions over email

[**- Confessions over e-mail** -x

Satoshi had just got back from school. No work... he didn't feel hungry... he didn't feel like sleeping either. All he wanted to do was some quick research on the internet. But once he opened up his laptop and connected to the internet, he found that he had an e-mail.

**- To:_ Do-not-mail-me-!_ From:_ Theifbabe626 _**

**- Message: _Hiyaz!! I found out your e-mail addy -yey!- Woot! U r online right nw! It's Risa BTW._**

**(Translation: 'Hiya! I found out your email address! (Shouting aloud:Yay!) Woohoo! You are online right now! It's Risa, by the way.')**

Now this day comes in everyone's life. The day when the most annoying person in your life just _happens_ to find your e-mail address and just _happens _to have the internet. Satoshi lay back in his chair, trying to think of a suitable reply he could give a person like Risa. He didn't really want to reply at all, never mind ask her how she was etc. So he ignored it and continued his research until another message came through from her.

_**- Satoshi, r u dead...? -Sob-**_

**_- _No, this isn't Satoshi. This is Satoshi's sister and he's away.**

Satoshi was quite proud of this excuse that he'd given at first - after all, this was really his first time talking to someone on a non-work related matter via e-mail. He was even starting to understand this... language that she was using (whatever it was) and that was another thing to be proud of. But very soon, as expected, his plans were turned against him.

_**- Oh!! I didn't knw tht Satoshi had a sis - wats ur name?**_

He thought about this for a moment... how was he ever going to get out of this situation...? He'd just lied, and he was kicking himself for it. Satoshi wasn't the lying type... he was a very honest person indeed. But this lie wasn't one he could stop, and it was starting to get bigger when he decided to use his mother's name...

**- Yes, he does. My name is Rio. I'm 12 years old. But I have homework to do. Bye!**

_**- Aww, c'mon Rio - u've got all night ta do ur hmwrk...**_

**- Okay. I can talk but just for a little while. Then I really must go.**

_**- Lol, I can tell that ur his sis, you talk just like he does.**_

**_- _Hm? I do?**

_**- Yeah XD You know, your brother is pritty fit lol**_

Satoshi froze up a bit at this and felt his cheeks go a little warm and he was so distracted, that it didn't even annoy him that she'd spelt 'pretty' wrong. She was kidding... she had to be...

**- You think so?**

**-_ Nah, jk._**

**- jk?**

_**- yeah, it's like sayin 'I ws joking' lol**_

**_-_ Pardon?**

**_- I was joking! But he is kinda cute. Such a (_swearword begining with B_) But a cute one!_**

**_- _Ah.**

**-_ Do me a favor tho, Rio. Dn't tell him. He will kill me o.x_**

Satoshi grinned a bit as he typed his reply, thinking; _Don't tell him... haha! Too bad she doesn't know she's talking to me!!_ then he paused. _Wow... this isn't like me at all! I have to end this conversation!_

**- I wont tell him. But I have to go. Farewell!**

_**- w8!!! Wat does he think ov me?**_

**- I don't know.**

**_- Well by the way he looks at me... I can tell he has something for me... _;)**

**- HE DOES NOT. He hates you!**

_**- rlly? oh...**_

Satoshi felt suddenly very guilty and bit his lip. Risa had at least given him a little credit by calling him cute... it would only be fair to admit something he thought of her... but it was so hard. It would have been harder though if Satoshi wasn't posing as someone else. He took a deep breath and typed the honest to goodness truth.

**- But he's told me that he thinks you're attractive looks-wise. A complete idiot, but an attractive idiot.**

_**- Aww... -blush- thats so sw33t!**_

**- Excuse me, so what?**

_**- Sweet.**_

**_- _Oh. Well, see you!**

_**- cul8tr, Rio! Thanx for talking to me! xx**_

**- That's alright.**

_Funny... _Satoshi thought as he shut the laptop down. _When you speak to her nicely she can be polite. And there was me thinking that she had no manners whatsoever!_

He lay down on the sofa, and all he could think of was his little chat with Risa, even two hours afterwards. _That wasn't too bad. Maybe I'll talk to her again sometime..._

* * *

**Author's note**

**So tell me what you thought. I'm rubbish with text-speak... I'll most probably never do a scene like this again because it doesn't feel like a fanfic scene when you're writing in text-speak... but ah well! It was kinda fun sooo yeah xx**


	6. Two minds are better than one

**- // Two minds are better than one //-**

"See you at home, sis! I've got sports club!"

Risa rolled her eyes at her athletic sister. "Those stupid sport clubs... they'll be the death of her..."

Risa would have been okay with walking home without Riku if it wasn't for the fact that Ritsuko was ill, and all her other friends were staying after school to work on some silly fashion design project with eachother. That didn't include her. It was days like this when Risa felt really lonely. She had no reason to feel lonely. Almost every boy in the class liked her, as a result she had lots of friends, then a big sister too and loving parents...

But just some days, this didn't seem like enough.

She began walking, eyes downcast and head hanging. Boys were passing by - the kind that would normally catch her attention, but she wasn't in the mood to flirt with them... she just sighed and continued walking. Dark... she searched her mind to see if it was him that was getting her down. But it wasn't so much that he had rejected her again, it was more that she wasn't used to being so alone with no-one to walk home with or feeling so empty inside.

Suddenly, she felt herself bump into someone since she had been staring at the ground and not paying attention to where she was going. She felt hands hold tight onto her arms to stop her from falling onto the pavement, which caused her to fall into him a bit. But she was more concerned about whoever this person was so she quickly glanced up and was about to say sorry when she realised it was no other than Satoshi Hiwatari. She'd never been this close to him before... falling on him was careless.

"Watch it."

"I'm sorry!" She said, struggling for words. Risa almost couldn't bring herself away from him. In his arms, it was so comfortable... his shirt was so soft and warm. His hands were still keeping their now gentle hold on her arms too. She hadn't stood like this with a boy since her obsession over Dark had started - when she had abandoned all her boyfriends to keep herself free for him. And she quite missed this feeling...

"You were wandering out onto the road..." Satoshi told her once she had given him some space. "Prehaps it would do you some good to keep your head up and watch where you're going."

The road. She had totally forgotten about that. Sure enough, when she looked past Satoshi, she could see a busy road behind him. So he had not only caught her before she could fall when she bumped into him... he'd stopped her from walking out onto the road and saved her from getting ran over. Eyes wide with shock, she stared up at him.

"Hi-Hiwatari-kun... you saved my life..." Risa said, so quietly that it was almost a whisper.

"Please, think nothing of it. It's just what anyone else would have done..." Satoshi grunted coldly, walking off. "Be more careful next time, okay?"

Standing frozen to the ground, Risa just watched Satoshi turn away. _And I thought I was lonely... he never has anyone to walk with..._ Suddenly before she knew what she was doing, she called after him. "Hiwatari-kun!!"

He stopped and looked over his shoulder at her. "What is it, Harada-san?"

"Can you... will you walk home with me?" Risa asked as she ran over to him. She was just as suprised as Satoshi. Why she asked that, she didn't know...

"Well, I can't..." Satoshi said with a shrug. "I take a different train home to you."

"Then... can you walk with me... just to the station?" Risa asked. "Nobody deserves to be alone on such a beautiful day..." He stopped to think about her request for a moment then looked back at her with thankful eyes. No smile, but his expression was all in those eyes...

"Sure, if it'll keep you from wandering into the road."

And at that point in time, neither of them had to be alone. Risa would have had to walk home alone... Satoshi would have had to aswell, like always. But Risa did the right thing. Two lonely classmates who just happen to run into eachother... well, it would only make sense if they walked home together. Then none of them would have to be lonely. And besides...

Two minds are better than one.

x**x**x


	7. Someone new

_**Before you read this...** Mio Hio's character in this part is from the Japanese anime version of DNAngel where in she can't speak much good Japanese._

**xo-Someone new-ox**

"Wow, Daisuke!! Your new uniform is uber hawt!!!" Mio Hio giggled, glomping Daisuke. Or at least, that's all Daisuke managed to catch. Mio's Japanese wasn't the best and it was mixed with lots of American words.

"Hio...san..." Daisuke just sighed, removing her arms from his waist. "Do you understand? I already told you not to make me jump..."

"Sorry, Daisuke!" She said, patting him on the head. "I pair?"

"Hm?"

"Maths. Daisuke, Mio pair?"

"No... not unless we get assigned to pair up together. Plus, our next maths lesson is-"

"Pair with me, or die!" She laughed, which didn't make any sense. Well, it made sense, but it looked as if she hardly knew what she was on about. Daisuke wanted so much to help her along with her japanese, but he didn't know much english. Just how to greet someone and a few other basic words.

"Hio-san. The teacher decides who I pair with..." Daisuke said, attempting to explain it as clearly as he could. "I'm sorry, but we might not be able to pair up for maths this afternoon..."

"Oh..." Mio looked dissapointed. But then she forced a smile and looked up at him. "Pair... another time?"

"Yes, another time, prehaps."

Risa stood behind a wall with her friend Ritsuko and they secretly watched the two. "That new girl... she's weird."

"Yeah! But she's from America, isn't that just so cool?" Ritsuko replied.

"Hmmm... yeah. But still! She is way to popular! Honestly, have you seen the way just about every boy in the class has looked at her!? They've all talked to her too!" Risa grunted, stubbornly flicking her hair. Ritsuko started giggling and Risa gave her a questioning look.

"Hahaha... I'll only be impressed when I see her getting naughty looks from Hiwa-" Risa brought her hand down hard across Ritsuko's face before she could say anything else.

"Don't even go there."

The two friends watched Daisuke wander off and leave Mio beside herself with upset. But as if Ritsuko was psychic, Satoshi walked right over to Mio after Daisuke was out of sight. Mio didn't notice him until he spoke, which made her look up.

"Ahh... our new student Hio-san."

"Y-you..." She breathed. She tried to get away, but Satoshi put his arm across her path. She began shivering nervously and avoided Satoshi's eyes. "I-I'm sorry. I can't speak japanese-"

"Thats okay, I can speak fluent English if you'd prefer that..."

Ritsuko squealed at Satoshi's intelligence, but Risa elbowed her in the side to keep her quiet. She wanted to know what was going on. Mio gave a reply in english that the two friends couldn't understand, but they managed to understand Satoshi's answer since he spoke slower.

"You have to go somewhere? Where's that?" She just squealed and tried to push past him, but he wouldn't let her. He grabbed her wrist and looked down at her, straight in the eyes. His tone changed from light and friendly to deadly serious. "What has my father done to you?"

Ritsuko tried to contain herself from laughter, but she couldn't manage it. When Satoshi heard her, he spun around and saw her and Risa on the corner. Mio managed to escape whilst he was distracted. "What are you two doing here? The bell already rang..."

"Umm...- it's... urm... I forgot my lunch bag!!" Ritsuko said, blushing. Then she whispered to Risa; "I can't believe he spoke to me!!" She ran past Satoshi down the coridoor to 'find her lunch bag'.

"And you, Harada-san?"

"Erm... I was just helping Ritsuko-san. See ya!" Risa said, faking a smile and running after her friend. _I can't believe it... Hiwatari-kun doesn't like Mio-san, does he? _She thought.

* * *

"You know, there is a big divide in this class. The Dark fans, and the Satoshi fans. Which one are you, Hio-san?" One of the girls asked Mio 2 weeks later. Two weeks... and in that time, Satoshi had spoken to Mio so much...

"Daisuke!" She giggled. "I like him alot!"

Daisuke heard this and blushed but Riku was the person it annoyed the most. Risa caught Satoshi glancing up at Mio after she had given that answer, then jotting something down in his notebook.

_I have to find out... Nobody gets away with keeping a secret from me in this classroom, not even Hiwatari-kun. I'll just have to catch him alone, then ask him about it. Yeah! Then he'll have to answer truthfully! _Risa thought, but then she ran a hand over her forehead and sighed. _Why is this bothering me so much...?! Besides... they look cute together. Satoshi deserves an American girl... he does study really hard. Not to mention all the girls who would die to be that Mio girl if he grew up and married her or something... _Her hand curled into a fist and when she was aware of this, she cursed herself. _Then why the hell does that idea make me so mad!?_

She heard the bell ring, and watched everyone walk out the room. Satoshi was on cleaning duty so he stayed in the classroom. Just her and Satoshi... alone in the classroom together. She desperatly wanted to talk to him, but she was just too shy.

"Harada-san, wont you be heading home soon...?" Satoshi asked, looking at her with some texbooks under his arm. She jumped and quickly turned to answer.

"Uh-- no. I was hoping--"

"Well stop hoping," He told her bluntly, packing the textbooks neatly together on the shelf. "Come on. Your sister will be waiting."

Risa growled at this and turned her nose up at him. _I think I forgot that Satoshi was a son of a---_

"Go on, go. You've got a social life."

Risa had to laugh at this. "A what, sorry?"

"A social life."

"Yeah, that's partly true. You don't. I guess that's why you offer to be on cleaning duty everyday."

"You got a problem with that?" He said, in a more serious sounding tone. "Risa, I don't mind you staying here, as long as you're quiet."

"But I wanted to talk to--"

"Quiet," He repeated, raising his eyes to the ceiling. But when he leant down to get something out of the cupboard, he suddenly felt arms around his waist. It was Risa, who else could it have been? "Harada-s-"

"Look, I don't know why but I need to know if you're going out with Mio Hio!!" She asked him directly, gripping onto him tighter. "I don't know why I just... I-I just..."

He breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh. That's why you've been acting so weird."

"_I've _been acting weird?!" Risa snorted.

"Geez, you hardly know me, do you Harada Risa?" He said, folding his arms, stubbornly. "Listen, I wont tell you what Mio Hio is to me. That is between me, her and my father. But what I can say is, I'm not interested in girls - even if they are from America," He put his hand on Risa's. "Okay?"

This somehow put Risa's mind at ease, and even when Satoshi would walk up to her and talk to her in that English language that Risa didn't understand much of - she trusted him. And that was that. No more being suspicious, because trust is the first true step in really getting to know someone.


	8. A little support

//x** A little support** x//

"Yaaaay! Woop, woop!" Risa cheered, running around the classroom and arranging all her work. She was among the people who had volunteered to stay after school for a bit to clean up. "Today's gonna be the beeest!"

Daisuke looked up from his desk at Risa. "Whatever makes you say that, Harada-san...?"

"Oh, don't be silly Niwa-kun! You know it's parent's evening tonight!" Risa giggled, stacking up some finished work sheets. "Isn't it exciting???"

_Parents' evening huh? _Satoshi thought, sweeping some pencil sharpenings off the floor. _What a pain..._

"Uhhh... honestly, Harada-san... I admire your enthusiasm... but what do you find so great about parents evenings?" Daisuke sighed. "I'm so nervous... my mom and dad might not think I've done well enough... then they'll find some way to punish me and push me to work harder..."

"Aww, c'mon Niwa-kun! This isn't like you, I'm sure the last time I checked you weren't the depressive kind... lighten up!" Risa laughed, holding Daisuke's hands in hers to calm his nerves. It was probably a good thing that Riku wasn't there, otherwise she would have stormed right over to Risa and told her to leave him alone. Satoshi couldn't help feeling a little jealous when Risa lovingly stroked the back of Daisuke's hand to try to cheer him up.

"Ha-harada-san..."

"It's okay, Niwa-kun. I'm going to make sure everything goes..." She slid her hand a little futher up his arm. "Just fine for you this evening..."

Satoshi went red with embarrassment and focused his attention on other things. He really had no right to be listening in on those things... but somehow he couldn't help it.

"Ha-Ha-harada-san I u-u-um..." Daisuke was obiously half dying over there. Risa's hand had reached his face now. "I'm umm... I-I've got to go!" Before Risa could stop him, Daisuke was off down the coridoor. There was a long silence between the only two students left in the classroom.

"It's not going to help, you know..." Satoshi finally said to Risa, whilst jotting something down in his note-book.

"I beg your pardon?"

He snapped the notebook shut and looked up at her. "Being like that with Daisuke. He's clearly uncomfortable with it, and I believe he's dating your sister now, is that correct?"

"Peh... he knows he loves it!" Risa said with a smirk, perching herself on the edge of Satoshi's desk. "I mean, I'm not harassing him or anything - it's just a bit of harmless flirting..."

"Pfft. 'I'm going to make sure everything goes... just fine for you this evening...' - that wasn't as intentional as it sounded, was it?"

She gave him a frown but looked very caught out. "No, no. You've just got a dirty mind, Hiwatari-kun. Why? What's it to you?"

Satoshi shrugged. "I just feel for your poor sister, that's all."

Risa just sighed and played with her hair, changing the subject. "So, who's coming along for your parents evening? Your mom, your dad, or both?"

"Hmm... not sure."

"Gee, I can't wait to see them! Who do you look most like, Hiwatari-kun? Your mother or your father?"

"I suppose you could say my mother..."

"Wow, really? Is she coming along then? I should love to see the woman who raised you!"

"Don't know..." Satoshi said, bluntly, putting his head in his arms. Risa's smile faded and she pulled up a chair next to Satoshi.

"Is something wrong...?" She asked.

"Hm? No..." Satoshi replied, looking up at her with wide eyes.

"Your parents aren't coming this evening... are they, Hiwatari-kun?" Risa said, having figured it out. Of course, she didn't know that Satoshi didn't actually have any parents at all. Satoshi paused and then gave a short, annoyed sigh.

"Harada-san, must you ask so many questions?" He snapped, getting up and walking over to the window. "You may leave. I'll do the rest of the cleaning."

"But Hiwatari-"

"Now!!" He growled, putting up a poster that had fallen down.

"I'll go... but just so you know, Satoshi. Parents... sure, they aren't there for you sometimes. But even when they're not there..." Risa smiled up at the passing clouds out of the window. "You'll still feel them cheering you on, every step of the way, because they love you. And love never dies..."

Satoshi flinched at how ironic this sounded, but something inside him took this in and made him think.

-x-


	9. Spring in the air

**(-Spring in the air-)**

"Wow, look at all the different kinds of flowers, Riku! Aren't they beautiful...?" Risa sighed, picking up a daffodil that had been torn from the ground and placing it in her sister's hair. "I just love school breaktimes in the playground in spring... but Y'know, that flower really suits you! You should wear flowers in your hair more often, Riku..."

"They're too girly for me..." Riku sighed, putting a rose in Risa's hair in return. When Risa saw her reflection in the school pond, Riku added; "A white rose for friendship and hope!"

"Hope for what...?"

"Getting over Dark..." When Riku saw her sister's horrified look, she sighed. "C'mon, that pervert has rejected you enough times... prehaps it's time you found your 'someone special'... for real this time."

"But nee-chan... I love Dark..." Sniffed Risa, twisting and turning a daisy in her hand. "I'm just not good enough for him..."

"Oh! There's Daisuke! Hang on a sec, Risa--- Daisuke!!! Over here!!!" Riku called, waving at him. But Risa pushed her sister's hand down.

"No, don't!! He's with that-- that boy!!" She warned.

"What, Hiwatari-kun? Nah, he never did anyone any harm..." Riku laughed. "He's just a little quiet. Actually, he is quite sweet once you get to know him..."

"...'a little sweet'?! Are you kidding me?!" Risa snapped, folding her arms.

Daisuke had to keep glancing up across the spring's grassy, flower-covered playground to finish his still life drawing. He could hear Riku and her sister laughing about something and smiled. _Sisters... it's so nice to watch them having fun together..._ he thought, looking back down at his picture. But he felt someone behind him and jumped.

"Ah, Hiwatari-kun. I didn't notice you standing behind me..." Daisuke said, blushing and quickly putting his arms over his drawing in an attempt to hide it. "This is no good, you shouldn't see it..."

"I did see it..." Satoshi remarked, sitting down beside him. "It was so very interesting, may I see it again?"

"S-sure..." Daisuke stammered, handing Satoshi the picture. He examined the picture for a moment. It was a charcoal picture of Daisuke's view of the Harada-twins playing together amongst the tall grass in the school fields. Satoshi glanced up at the twins to see how accuratly Daisuke had drawn them. Everything was there down to the daffodil in Riku's hair, and the white rose in Risa's.

"You're improving..." Satoshi said, handing Daisuke his painting back. Daisuke nodded, looking very proud that Satoshi thought this.

"Well, I'm trying. I practice my still life everyday, drawing beautiful things in hope that someday, my art will be like your's, Hiwatari-kun."

Satoshi just tilted his head, letting his fringe fall across his face unevenly. He didn't say any more on this matter, he just continued to look at the picture. "If you don't mind me saying, Niwa-san... on your picture... Miss Risa looks beautiful..."

Daisuke was taken by suprise, as he thought himself that he'd drawn Riku the best. "Th-thankyou. But Harada-san is a beautiful person, afterall. I couldn't make her look any less beautiful if I tried-"

"Hey Daisuke!!" Riku said, running over and dragging Risa along too.

"Riku-san!"

Satoshi and Risa stood awkwardly, waiting for the two to stop hugging. But whilst this was going on, Satoshi caught sight of the rose in Risa's hair and walked over to her. "Tsk, you shouldn't wear a rose in your hair like that, it's just silly. The rose would look better amongst nature than in your hair..." He grunted, taking it off her. She growled at him and stamped her foot.

"Well thats kinda rude!!" She snapped. "I could say that-"

"You should have a red rose instead, it goes with your uniform..." He said, taking a red rose out of his pocket and placing it neatly in her hair. "See?" Then he walked off without another word. Daisuke raised his eyebrows at Risa.

"Hiwatari-kun gave you a red rose...?" He asked. She shrugged.

"Yeah. But only because he disliked the fact that I was wearing a white one. Why do you ask?"

"Sis," Riku giggled. "Whether Hiwatari knows it or not, given to someone by an artist, a red rose is a symbol of eternal love. He gave you his heart, Risa!"

Risa could have died right there but instead she just blushed and took the rose out of her hair. _What's going on?! I feel all strange... _"Hey, Hiwatari-kun! Wait!" she called after him. She managed to catch up with him and held the rose out towards him, avoiding his eyes. "Here. I can't accept this."

"Why not? It looks attractive on you..."

Her blush deepened. He hadn't meant that in a loving way, he was simply telling her like it was, and besides - he wasn't refering to her being attractive, he was refering to the rose. _Way to put things bluntly... _Risa thought, flicking her hair. "No, that's not what I meant!! Here! Take it back!"

"No, I don't need it back."

"Please, just--" Before long, she had placed the red rose back in his hand personally. But when her hand brushed his as she gave it to him, her heart skipped a beat and she lost her breath, so with that she just ran off.

...but she would never understand the reason why she took off that rose a single, scarlet red petal and kept it that day. _A piece of his heart..._


	10. The one thing he knows nothing about

"So... Kissing!"

"What about it, Harada-san?"

"Oh, don't be silly, Hiwatari. You know it's for our assignment! We have to learn to talk about these things openly and honestly with adults, however awkward they seem. We're just lucky we didn't get homework on something worse in the same sort of area. So what are we going to write?" Satoshi just shrugged at Risa as if the whole thing was ridiculous. Risa got very annoyed by this and raised her voice slightly. "Can't you at least think of something?! We came all the way up to the library to work on this together! And you are my assigned partner afterall!!"

"I shouldn't think that this is a topic I will need for the future, Harada-san," Satoshi mumbled, leaning back in his chair.

"Well, we need this assignment done by tomorow because you've chosen to leave it so late! Please help me!" Risa begged. "I'm no good with descriptive stuffies!"

"Pfft. Look, I'm sure you know plenty about kissing already - just write down whatever comes into your head..." He replied with a flick of his hair. He didn't really catch what Risa was getting at. Her point was that however hard she tried, she just didn't know how to put things to make them sound realistic. Describing a kiss... was like trying to describe love itself. All Risa could think of was the word... well, 'lovely'.

"Hiwatari-kun... please..."

"Come on, use you brain. You're not always going to be paired up with someone intelligent - you need to think for yourse-"

"Hiwatari-kun!! Don't try to get out of this! You are DEFINATLY helping, whether you like it or NOT!"

"..." Satoshi just let out a long sigh and looked down at his notebook as he spoke. "The truth is, I wouldn't know anything about kissing. I've never kissed a girl in my life..." Just then, their eyes somehow met. It was silent while the two stared into eachother's eyes... but for once, not an awkward one. It was a silence full of thought and meaning... Satoshi was beginning to wonder why Risa's eyes looked so confused, like she desperatly wanted to have the answer to something.

"What... is it... Harada-san?" Satoshi dared to ask.

"So you've never kissed... a girl then, huh?" She sighed. Her gaze... it was almost painful now, and the space between them was starting to get less. But she broke the short silence by continuing her question. "So does that mean that you've kissed boys before, Hiwatari-kun?"

_(Anime fall)_

"NO!! No I have not, I've never kissed anybody, okay? So get on with your f---ing assignment alone!" He swore. Angered and slightly embarrassed inside, he stood up quickly. "I'm going--"

"No you're not. You're going to help me!" Risa said, gripping onto his shirt to prevent him from leaving.

"I already told you! I can't!" He snapped in reply whist trying to struggle free.

"You don't get out of it that eas-- ah!"

Suddenly Risa felt herself slip because of all the pulling and tugging. She fell on top of Satoshi, her hands on his shoulders. It was a good thing that this was happening after school hours otherwise there would have been other people around... A blush mark quickly spread like a forest fire across Risa's face but she managed to try to look confident.

"Satoshi... I understand that it may be hard for someone who's never kissed anyone to explain how it feels..." Risa sighed, her long hair brushing his face. "But I... how about I help you out with your homework for once, rather than the other way round..."

"What are you saying...?" Satoshi asked.

"I'm saying just because I'm s-such a nice person, w-why don't I help you by -- j-just for the sake of our work -- giving you a kiss so that you can put into words what it f-feels like..." Risa answered, tripping over her words. When she saw Satoshi's nervous expression, she looked away, blushing. "Besides, what are you going to tell the teachers when you get asked about the work tomorow...?"

"Harada-san, we shouldn't. It's--"

"-It's very important for our schoolwork," Risa continued for him. He just turned his head away from her, shyly.

"I don't think I can," He sighed, thinking about Krad. "I don't want to, Harada-san."

"Neither do I, trust me. But I'm only trying to help," Risa explained as she moved closer to him. "Don't worry... I'll go really easy on you, since you've never done this before..."

"O-okay..." Satoshi stammered in reply, since he really had no other choise. He was a little shocked too. Since when did Risa ever want to help him...? He closed his eyes and she moved even closer to him. His heart was beating so fast that he could barely breathe - he wouldn't admit to himself the effect she was having on him. But just as he could almost feel their lips brushing, she stopped getting closer to him and burst out laughing. He opened an eye and looked up at her questioningly. "Harada-san?"

"Hahaha!! Oh, if only you could see your face now, Hiwatari-kun!!" She said, gasping for breath between laughs. "You've gone all red!"

"Hm?"

"You're a fool!" Risa explained, still laughing. "You actually thought that I was going to kiss you!? Peh! Maybe in a thousand years!"

Satoshi's face went even redder when he found out that it had all been a tease. How could he have fallen for something so simple? Of _course _Risa would never kiss him or offer to help out! "You think this is funny, do you...?" He asked, trying to keep his cool. She nodded vigerously, still unable to stop laughing.

"Hells yes! Anyway, I bet you couldn't kiss a girl for you life as you're scared of-" Suddenly he grabbed her nose to make her open her mouth (ie. so that she couldn't breathe if she didn't) and forced his lips against hers. If there was one thing Satoshi hated, it was people thinking that he was bad at or scared of things. The kiss didn't mean anything either, he just did it to show Risa that he wasn't scared to do anything. And Risa thought he wasn't actually that bad at it either.

He stood back afterwards and wiped his mouth, muttering rude words at Risa as he did so. "There. I proved it. I'm not scared of kissing girls, and I can. It's just a waste of my time."

"I-I see..." Risa stammered, with new found respect for Satoshi. _Come on Risa! Get a hold of yourself, you stupid girl! _She told herself in her head. She couldn't help feeling slightly flustered by the fact that _Satoshi Hiwatari _had just kissed her. But it just didn't feel real to her as she sat on the library floor, staring up at him with widened eyes... she felt to dizzy to get up.

"Need some help?" Satoshi asked bluntly, once he'd realised that she was in a state. He offered her a hand to help her up and she took it. "Come on. Now let's go and finish this project..."


	11. Kissing in the snow

_xx_** Kissing in the snow** _xx_

"Hey Hiwatari-kun!"

"Hey, Harada-san!" 15 year old Satoshi replied, sarcastically. "Wanna go play in the park with me?"

"...Yeah... th-that's exactly what I wanted..."

"Well, tough. I have to get home," He snapped, turning his back on her. She looked sorely dissapointed, but then again - Satoshi playing in the park with her? That would be too good to be true... too unlike him. Lately, Risa had latched herself onto Satoshi and decided that if he wasn't going to tell her much more about himself, then she would find out for herself. Hate was now a word too strong for her relationship with this boy... and inside she was screaming for answers as to why. He wasn't treating her any differently, he had always been cold to her.

"Hey! Wait!!" She handed him a book. "This is yours. You let me borrow it, remember?"

"Yes. I hadn't forgotten. I only gave it to you at breaktime today."

"Ah... s-sorry, I'm a quick reader. There y'are! Don't overwork yourself tonight for the exams tomorrow!"

"Sure thing... (bearing in mind that I don't have to study anyway!)..."

* * *

When Satoshi arrived home, his eyes were drawn back to the book he'd lent Risa that day. To his suprise... it was still in perfect condition. She'd looked after it so well - there wasn't even a fingerprint left on it's shiny clean covering. It was a science fact book that she had most probably needed to assist her in her test revisions.

"Well, at least it's better than me assisting her..." Satoshi sighed, slumping down on his sofa. But as he did this, the book fell open and out of it's pristine pages flew a note. Frowning, Satoshi picked the note up and read it.

_"Meet me at the fountain - 8pm - Tonight. I need to tell you something.__"_

Satoshi jumped off the sofa as if something had stabbed him in the back. He glanced up at the clock on his wall. 7:05pm.

_Why does Harada-san want me to come meet her out someplace? She annoys me 6 hours a day - isn't that enough for her?!_ Satoshi thought. But deep inside, he knew that Risa wasn't asking for his company so that she could annoy him. She wanted something else...

"Grr... she should be studying for the exam tomorow!! What was she thinking asking me to--" He caught a look at himself in the mirror and sighed. His red school trousers clashed so much with his messy and snowy dark blue hair... suddenly he felt under-presented. "If I'm going out, I may as well make at least a _bit _of an effort..." Satoshi said to himself. He put on some black trousers and a tie then showered and brushed his hair. Why he felt the need to be well-presented in the slightest, he had no idea. He glanced back at the letter. "I can't believe I'm going through with this... I'll just get there... tell her I'm not interested, then leave. Yeah."

* * *

"Where is he...? I'm sure I gave him that letter..." Risa sighed, sitting next to the fountain in Azumano town center. "It's ten past now... I may as well just leave..."

"Harada-san!" Came a voice from down the street. When she saw that it was Satoshi, she looked suprised.

"Hi... Hiwatari-kun...?"

"I'm sorry Harada-san but I... I can't go out with you. I just don't feel that way about---" He noticed her expression and his faded. "That letter I found in the book wasn't meant for me, was it?"

"Oh, the message about meeting me here? It was meant for Daisuke. You see I took it out of my bag instead of a bookmark and put it in the book, but when I found it missing, I presumed I'd given it to Niwa-kun..." Risa looked upset. "I wanted to ask him about Riku, those two seem like they have been getting pretty distant from eachother as if they've argued and I don't know a thing about it," Satoshi didn't answer, he just stared up at the sky which made Risa feel uncomfortable. "Hey, I'm sorry that you came all the way down here for nothing..." Risa blushed when she noticed how well he was dressed and his hair was brushed. "It's a shame... You look so handsome too..."

"Hm?" Satoshi looked back at her, noticing her shy, embarrassed and uncomfortable expression. She really meant it, this time. "Thankyou..."

There was another long, awkward silence. They just stood together breathing in the winter air. It was cold, but they wouldn't have noticed because all they could feel was some kind of force that was pulling them towards one-another. To Satoshi's shock, he found that the distance between them had been getting less without either of them even noticing it. He hastily took a step away from her.

"Is something wrong?" Risa asked him when she saw his widened eyes and pale face.

_Krad... _He put a hand on his heart. _No, he isn't there. He was sealed away... hold on-- he's gone?! _It had just fully hit Satoshi that his psycho, blond alter-ego was no longer inside him. His face calmed again. "No. Nothings wrong..."

"Good... I was worried that..." Risa broke off and just smiled up at him. "Well, you know."

He looked back down into her eyes. Snow was now falling all around them, and the city felt suddenly empty, like they were the only two left in it... just them. Together...

He suddenly looked away from her and his eyes fell on his feet. "I should go now. Say hello to Niwa-san and Miss Riku for me and-" But before he could finish, someone pushed past him which caused him to fall on Risa. She fell into the snow with him on top of her which might have looked strange to any passers-by. Risa's face was now a deep shade of red and Satoshi could feel not only her heart beating fast against his chest, but his heart against hers too. "Sorry," He said, begining to get up and he reached for his glasses which had fallen off. But Risa grabbed his collar and with a squeal, pulled his head closer to her into the snow, his warm lips pressed against hers. He was so shocked by this that he didn't quite know how to react - he just couldn't believe what she was doing. Neither could she.

Once she let go of him, panting a little, she cried; "I love you, Satoshi Hiwatari, and the worst part is - I don't even know why!!"

Satoshi touched his mouth with a shakey hand, still trying to recover. Then he became fully aware of their position and got up. He sliently held his hand out to Risa, who was still lying in the snow with hot red cheeks which were wet with tears. She squinted up at his calm face, on which lay just a very slight pink blush. When he had helped her to her feet, she wiped her eyes.

"I'm sorry... I had to... I just... couldn't hate you any longer..." She sniffed, letting go of his hands. "I'm so sorry."

Satoshi held the silence for a little longer, then tilted his head to one side and spoke with a smile. "I saw that kind of kissing in the movies once when I was little and never thought that I'd be trying it..." He laughed, still a little out of breath. It was a strange thing-: He was laughing, and she was crying... it was like once Dark and Krad had left, everything had swopped around.

"Hah... don't kid yourself..." She sniffed, still in tears. "I know you hate me... I just..." Risa gave a shrug. "Wanted you to know that you mean more than that to me."

He put his arm around her waist. "Come on. Let's get you home."

_...Maybe someday I'll tell her._

_**-x- **_


End file.
